HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Cardinal Spellman has bench strength

Back-up players play a significant role for the Cardinal Spellman boys basketball team.

Chris McDaniel cmcdaniel@wickedlocal.com @ChrisMcDaniel88

BROCKTON – Their number will be called at some point during Saturday’s high school boys basketball Div. 3 state championship game against Tyngsboro at 12:30 p.m. at the DCU Center in Worcester. They might not play more than two minutes at a time, or even score, but they could make a small play that could be the difference between losing and winning.

They are the Cardinal Spellman team’s bench.

Their effect on Tuesday’s 51-44 win over Watertown was evident.

Watertown played five starters all game until Kevin DiPietrantonio fouled out late in the fourth quarter. From that point, Spellman senior Joe Crane was able to exploit the mismatch of DiPietrantonio’s substitute, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter.

On the other side, Spellman senior starter Brian Donohoe found himself in foul trouble in the second half. Spellman coach Mike Perry had the confidence to play sophomore Nick George, who played in the fourth quarter and all of overtime as the Cardinals finished the game on a 22-4 run.

“The bench has definitely gotten a lot better as the year goes on,” said Perry. “We’ve always tried to play eight, nine kids, sometimes 10 depending upon what goes on just in case.

George isn’t the only key bench player for the Cardinals.

Against Dedham in the South Sectional quarterfinals, Spellman starters Crane, Austin Joseph and Rory Donovan all found themselves in foul trouble in the second quarter. George, along with sophomore Collin Sullivan and senior Bryan Barry, came off the bench to make sure the Cardinals would not be upset early in the tournament.

Junior John Cuomo and senior Chuma Onochie also come off the bench for the Cardinals.

All five players have different roles, with defense being the first thing any of the second stringers mention.

Barry, an Enterprise All-Scholastic in football, is a slightly undersized (6-1) big man.

“My main role is to box out and rebound,” said Barry. “I’m not really on the offensive side, I’m more defensive – box out every time I can, working hard, all the tough minutes, all that type of stuff like getting on the floor and going after it 100 poercent of the time.”

“He might not be the tallest kid on the floor, but he’s got a big heart and he plays hard,” said Perry of Barry. “ For anything he can’t do that Rory (Donovan) can do, he makes up for it with hustle stuff – rebounds, pick up a charge, box out.

“Sometimes it’s things that don’t show up in the box score.”

The sophomores both bring different playing styles. George is an athletic and long swing-man, while Sullivan is a knock-down shooter from the outside.

The adjustment to coming off the bench wasn’t and usually isn’t an easy one for the young players.

“I think at the beginning of the year they thought they had to come in and score a lot and do this and do that,” said Perry, “then they found you just have to come in and be part of the whole picture – rebound, defense, when the shot comes your way take it – let the game come to you. Don’t try and force the game.”

Playing on the biggest of stages like the TD Garden and UMass-Boston hasn’t affected the two youngest Cardinals.

“Once you’re out there playing, you don’t really notice the crowd,” said George. “You’re just out there having fun.”

Some of the bench player’s most important contributions come during the buildup to tip-off.

“I prep the guys in practice,” said Cuomo. “Toast (Roach), Austin (Joseph) and I go hard everyday in practice, make sure they’re ready for the games.”

The biggest hardships players have to deal with in coming off the bench are staying loose and not losing focus despite not knowing if or when they’ll find their way onto the floor.

“You always got to be ready, foul trouble is always an issue in the game of basketball,” said Barry. “You’ve got to kind of always think of scenarios when you’re needed, try to stretch, stay loose, be focused.”

“It’s all mental,” said Sullivan of staying focused. ‘‘You can’t let anything outside of the game affect what you’re going to do when you get in the game. I stick to what the team needs me to do.”

Players who do come off the bench, get to watch the game and see things that might not be so visible to those on the court. The best bench players know how to not only find a hole in an opponent’s offense or game plan, they know how to exploit it.

“I focus on what position I’m playing – big man – see if they go left or right, what their tendencies are, see if they have any weaknesses or anything I need to cover,” said Barry.

“It’s like a little bit of everything,” said George. “You’re kind of just sitting there watching the game, watching strategies, understand how we’re playing, how I can just help our team in any way.”

The most important part of jumping in the game is bringing effort.

``Whenever I come off the bench I try and give my 100 percent as long as I’m out there,” said Onochie. “I try to be as aggressive as I can.

``You never know when you’re going to get called.”

Chris McDaniel may be reached at CMcDaniel@enterprisenews.com and followed on Twitter @ChrisMcDaniel88. To participate in the Enterprise’s twitter feed leading up to and during Saturday’s game, use #entspellman.